Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-06
WEDNESDAY. .......JULY 6. 1887
Raca Preindices-Again.


Let the northern whites all find out for
themselves Is the iact-that they are
less charitable to the Negroes faults than the
southern whites, and incapable OF living
with him on the pleasant terms which
characterize the intercourse between the
two races in the South, and they will never
again do themselves the Injustice, and the
southern whites the wrong, OF arraigning
us at the bar OF the public opinion OF the
world as social criminals OF our
treatment OF the negroes.
We have often mentioned the fact that so
few negroes migrate from the South to the
North ss proof positive that the negroes are
better treated here than there. Scientists
speak sometimes OF the A" behavior" OF even
inanimste things. IL Is the behavior" OF
the negroes towards the whites aad OF the
whites towards the negroes tn 1t renders the
southern States paradise for the negroes.
The northern people are incapable OF
behaving towards the negroes In such a
manner as to make them feel satisfied with
themselves and their surroundings. The
race prejudice In the South, as In the
North, is inersdlcable; but the southern
whites substitute for the absolute non-re.
cogniiiOn OF the negro which the northern
people find 1t necessary TO resort to that
pstriarchal or perhaps 1t might be called
pstronIziHg manner which, though II sets
well.understood bounds to the pegro's adj
ysnces, always makes him feel at home,
always recognizes him as man and brother,
and never treats him unkiDdly. We fear
that many IL not most Of the northera PEG.
pie cannot even imagine TON PAGES negro
characters TO be drawn from life.
We did not set out TO discuss the ques.
ton OF the existence OF race prejudlces,
nor TO define the difference between those
preiudices as they exist IN the hearts and
minds OF the northern and southern peo-
pie respectively; but to quote from 5. r.
REED, Esq, Of Cincinnati, one OF the edi-
torial contributors TO Mr.. HALsTEAD's pa
per, the following candid confession. lie
says:
"Wbethel the progress OF intelligence
and the working OF the equality Of men up
TO the level OF its principle shall ultimately
obliterate the color line Is beyond human
foresight. OF course the principle OF poll
teal equality requires II, and this requires
people TO look forward TO its attainment by
progress, but ii is vet afsr. Aud there are
many signs that The color line Il as deeply
seated in the North As IN the South, and that
our ~ its small and limini hing de.
gree is because OF the comparative small
ness OF the number OF the colored in the
North. But in the southern States neither
is the number small relatively, nor diminish
ing relatively, but on the contrary the In
crease OF the blacks |. relatively greater
than Of the whites. This makes the color
line TO them the chief political, social, and
labor problem"
Aye. Tie color line is more "deepy'
seated" in the North than in the South, as
we have just tried to show; and IL the
comparative smalIness" OF their number
in the North did not save the negroes from
being recognized rs an element in the body
polite worthy OF notice, the "deepy.
seated" preiudices alluded TO by our Gin
cinnati friend would force all the negroes
TO migrate to the South. We cannot bat
sympathize with an old Virginia negro
transplsnted from his genial surroundings
In this State TO the inhOspitabe North.
where be pines and dies without sympa'
thy, without friends, and without even sue
ceeding in reminding his new neighbors
that be Is one OF them in the highest sense.
The largeness OF the number Of the ne
groes in the southern States does not dis
turb the tquanimity OF the southern people,
as our Cincinnati friend and critic seems
to imagine. Here we know their traits,
aud are always ready and willing charl-
tably 10 make due allowance for their short
comings, as we do in the case OF children.
The negro may not be able to tell why
he prefers southern whites to northern,
but he knows that he has this preference,
aud as DR.. JOHNSON said about free will,
'tbere's Nh end OF It,"